Mercury Video Picks

Okay, so it sucks not having a job. You're bored, depressed, watching way too much daytime television, you don't have any money, and all you want to do is shop. I hear you. It blows. But then again, think about those despicable memos, reviews, and training sessions from your corporate insurance job. Or how you had to compromise your integrity and your wardrobe on a daily basis to remain, at best, unnoticed. Aren't you happier now, playing with yourself in your jammies all day? Yes? No? Maybe?If you need a reminder of the pantyhose-induced yeast infections or obsequious co-worker of yore, rent these films and rejoice in your unemployment.

•Nine to Five (1980)--You think it's the white man's world? Well, not any more. Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton find their jobs in jeopardy, kidnap their chauvinist-pig boss Dabney Coleman, and run the company themselves. Beware: After watching this film, you may a) want to throw dog-poop at the door of your old boss and b) have to go to the loony bin after the song Nine to Five gets stuck in your head for the rest of eternity.

•Office Space (1999)--An obvious choice, but still the most accurate representation of corporate bullshit ever. After I saw this film, I wore sneakers to work and mouthed off to all of my supervisors, resulting in a hearty talking-to, during which I--you guessed it--tapped my foot and rolled my eyes. Simultaneously hilarious and depressing, the office scenes juxtaposed against the mockery of working at TGI Friday's make you lust for anarchy. See also: Fight Club, in which Edward Norton gets a huge severance package for telling his boss where to shove it.

• Swimming with Sharks (1994)--Based on the writer/director's experience as a production assistant, a depiction of why seemingly glamorous jobs aren't so great--especially when you have to work with self-important Hollywood hand-jobs. Frank Whaley goes to work for Kevin Spacey (who brilliantly plays the world's biggest asshole) and eventually goes off the deep end. See also: Office Killer, similarly masochistic, but nowhere near as good. KATIE SHIMER